Category Archives: Technology, science, and math

The Texas A&M Space Institute

Posted on November 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. A grassy field next to NASA’s Johnson Space Center is getting an otherworldly makeover. Officials gathered Friday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Texas A&M University Space Institute, which will re-create the moon and Mars to help develop rovers, … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Evolv

Posted on November 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. In the 2022–23 school year news reports nationwide identified more than 1,150 guns brought to K-12 campuses that were seized before anyone fired them. That averages out to more than six guns per day, according to an investigation … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trying to save the deep sea coral after the BP oil spill

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating stuff. In the early morning, at a lab not too far from the Galveston coast, Shannon Ainsworth is collecting hundreds of tiny, floating brown eggs from a tank of deep-sea coral. She sticks a little plastic dropper into the … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Trying to save the deep sea coral after the BP oil spill

Cool pavement

Posted on October 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. More than 20 people died in Dallas and Tarrant counties from heat-related illnesses in 2023 as Texas saw record heat waves and triple-digit temperatures, according to the counties’ medical examiners. Heat-related emergency visits to hospitals also spiked. Cities … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

New COVID vaccine available

Posted on August 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

In case you missed it. The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday it has greenlighted updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna for the 2024 fall season. The decision clears the way for distribution to begin for the latest version … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Heat mapping

Posted on August 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty cool. Or hot. Kinda both. Your choice. Chris and Rachel Powers were ready for their second drive of the day when they parked outside a bakery in Houston’s East End. They cracked the passenger-side window of their Audi and … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Heat mapping

Nasal vaccine for flu and COVID in the works

Posted on August 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty cool. A team of researchers from the University of Houston have developed a new vaccine to treat and prevent the spread of flu and multiple coronavirus strains. Through two nasal sprays — an immune activating therapeutic treatment and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The NFL will use facial recognition for its ticketing at all stadia

Posted on August 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The future is here, like it or not. It’s just a month away from the Cowboys’ season kickoff, and fans better stay on their best behavior once the stadium doors reopen. This year, the Cowboys and the rest of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The NFL will use facial recognition for its ticketing at all stadia

On rooftop solar

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

There are a couple of things to consider as you read this. Texas ranks third in the country in electricity generation from small-scale solar, including rooftop solar, trailing California and Arizona, according to the Energy Information Administration. (The federal office … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on On rooftop solar

In case you’d been nostalgic for Y2K…

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s CrowdStrike to remind you what could have been. A massive IT outage that disturbed Microsoft customers and businesses across the world on Friday caused flight delays and cancellations at Houston airports, led to the temporary closure of Port Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on In case you’d been nostalgic for Y2K…

HPD to expand “AI surveillance”

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have many questions. An AI technology firm will install 64 new cameras throughout the city to improve public safety as Houston Police Department officials say they are facing staffing shortages. In a $177,483 contract approved Wednesday by City Council, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

We sure Ken Paxton isn’t investing in VPNs?

Posted on May 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I mean… When she saw that Pornhub was disabling access in Texas, Express VPN privacy advocate Lauren Hendry Parsons’s reaction was rooted in what she’s seen the past few years. “Honestly, all I thought was, here we go again,” Parsons … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We sure Ken Paxton isn’t investing in VPNs?

ERCOT and the AI demand boom

Posted on May 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Once again we ask, can our grid keep up? The rapid expansion of data centers, fueled by the rise of artificial intelligence platforms and the increasing digitization of the economy, is driving a surge in electricity demand in Texas and … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hearing the eclipse

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is cool. Blind and low-vision people across North America will be able to experience the upcoming total solar eclipse, thanks to a handheld device that translates light into sound. The LightSound Box is a tool designed specifically to help … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Hearing the eclipse

Sure, Pornhub could verify identities and ages if they wanted to

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

But that’s not the point. House Bill 1181, which was passed in June and went into effect in September, says that any entity publishing pornographic material must require a visitor to provide digital identification or use a commercial age verification … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Texas colleges and AI

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting story. When Taylor Eighmy talks to people about the growth of artificial intelligence in society, he doesn’t just see an opportunity — he feels a jolt of responsibility. The president of The University of Texas at San Antonio said … Continue reading →

Posted in School days, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Texas colleges and AI

NASA needs more Mars simulation astronauts

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Your next job opportunity. NASA is seeking applicants to participate in its next simulated one-year Mars surface mission to help inform the agency’s plans for human exploration of the Red Planet. The second of three planned ground-based missions called CHAPEA … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on NASA needs more Mars simulation astronauts

“Facial authentication”

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still thinking about how I feel about this. The Astros will be one of four Major League Baseball teams using facial authentication technology at this year’s opening day in an effort to speed up fans’ entry through the gates … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Facial authentication”

Ampelognathus coheni

Posted on December 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Of all of the potentially attainable achievements I could imagine for my life, finding a new dinosaur fossil seems like the coolest. A new dog-sized dinosaur species has been discovered after a small fossil of a jawbone was found outside … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Ampelognathus coheni

Christmas trees and climate change

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry to be a grinch. Christmas tree breeder Jim Rockis knows what it looks like when one dies long before it can reach a buyer. Rockis farms trees in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, where he and other producers often grow … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Christmas trees and climate change

Crypto ATM data breach

Posted on December 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. People who used Coin Cloud cryptocurrency ATMs — a brand that was installed in some H-E-B stores beginning in 2021 — may have had their personal information compromised by hackers. The San … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Crypto ATM data breach

A deeper look at de-extinctioning

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Really good stuff. You are wandering the forests of Mauritius, an oyster-shaped island east of Madagascar, when you spy a dodo, a bird famous for being as dead as one can possibly be. Yet this dodo waddles before you, pecking … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dodo update

Posted on December 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Everyone needs a home. After years of working on bringing back one of the most popular extinct animals — the dodo — Colossal Biosciences has found a home for its bird in Mauritius in a new partnership with the Mauritian … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Woolly mammoth de-extinctioning

Posted on November 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. In a historic building in Deep Ellum, a colossal effort is underway to bring some of the most famously extinct animals back to life. The wild mission comes from a Dallas-based company called Colossal Biosciences which is … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Data from Dallas County cyberattack allegedly posted online

Posted on November 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how bad this is. Data allegedly from the recent cyber attack on Dallas County systems has been posted online, county officials confirmed on Tuesday. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said officials were “aware of an unauthorized party posting … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Data from Dallas County cyberattack allegedly posted online

Harris County provider of mental health services victimized by ransomware

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Too close for comfort. Harris County officials had few details to add Thursday morning about the investigation into a recent ransomware attack on the county’s provider for mental health services, saying cybersecurity experts had recommended they not share information. “As … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County provider of mental health services victimized by ransomware

Dallas County says it successfully defended itself against that cyber attack

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Very good news if true. Dallas County said Tuesday that an attempt to hack into its computer systems earlier this month has been thwarted and staff are continuing to investigate the incident. The county announced on its website that its … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dallas County suffers ransomware attack

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Add them to the list. Dallas County experienced a cybersecurity incident this month that affected parts of its network, an official confirmed on Monday. In a statement to Recorded Future News, Dallas County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins said that there … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Carbon capture project coming

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. A carbon removal project south of Corpus Christi is one of two sites selected by the Department of Energy to receive up to $1.2 billion to support the development of direct air capture technology. The project, which is being … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hydrogen hub Houston happens

Posted on October 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. The Texas Gulf Coast has been selected by the Biden administration as a clean hydrogen hub, one of seven locations across the United States set to receive billions of dollars in federal funding and private investment to help develop … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lots of people will not get that latest COVID shot

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Sadly not a big surprise. We could move this at the margins, but not as long as any part of government is in Republican control. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends new covid-19 booster vaccines for all — … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Mars” mission update

Posted on September 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Keep these coming, please and thank you. Ultra runner Kelly Haston is not going stir-crazy inside her 1,700-square-foot Martian habitat, and that’s a pleasant surprise. “It is comfortable and spacious, and I do not yet miss being outside,” Haston said. … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Time for your next COVID shot

Posted on September 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m ready. The U.S. approved updated COVID-19 vaccines Monday, hoping to rev up protection against the latest coronavirus strains and blunt any surge this fall and winter. The Food and Drug Administration decision opens the newest shots from Moderna and … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Another data point on ransomware

Posted on August 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

And other cybersecurity incidents, from the FBI. A series of cyberattacks across Texas, including some in the Houston region, are part of a growing statewide and national trend of increasingly sophisticated groups working through computers to steal money and information, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Another data point on ransomware